Just Friends, Right?
by Caffie
Summary: L/J, MWPP days again. I finally got a title! Yay me! now i just need to find a plot... hmmm.... - -- - - Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Uploaded - -
1. " Perfect strangers when we meet ... " ...

**Just Friends, Right? -- 1**

Author: Cattie

Rating: PG

Genre: Romance, possibly comedy later

A/N: Okay, first long shot HP fic, and I **will** finish this fic, I promise! I could do with some suggestions for a title, and considering this thing doesn't even have a plot, well, then I think it is a hopeless cause. Oh well, Title suggestions can be e-mailed to me, or left in a review. Thanks!

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_'__**August 31st**_

_Dear Diary,_

_Oh my gosh, I saw the cutest guy today._

_I met him in Diagon Alley, when I went to fetch my new robes._

_I was walking out of the store, and I was off in my own little dream world, when I fell over a.... actually, I don't know what I fell over, I guess it mustn't be important._

_So, I was walking out of the store, I fell over, and he caught me._

_He had messy black hair, and the cutest brown eyes with tiny little golden flecks in them..._

_And now I, Lily Evans, sound like a lovesick teenager. Lovesick over someone who sounds like…. James Potter! Oh man! Remind me to be sick later._

_Anyways, I can't get him out of my mind. Maybe a couple of dozen dates when I get back to Hogwarts will do it. After all, I'm starting Fifth year tomorrow._

_**Lily ~***'_

I snapped my diary shut, not really wanting to write anything, just wanting to waste some time while in the car, on the way to the train station. I gazed out of the window, dreaming away, when suddenly I noticed I could see my reflection.

I'm not one of those mirror-hogging brat, no, not me, but I did feel rather self-conscious this year; I had changed alot over the summer.

I was always considered pretty during my first four years, but now, as according to all my muggle friends, I looked 'stunning'.

I had to admit, I looked pretty nice, my reflection telling me that my shoulder length deep-red hair was hanging perfectly naturally, my emerald eyes were flashing, my oh-so pale skin looked okay, and if I kept biting my lips they would turn a deep-red color, instead of the usual pink.

My new robes would look fine on me, but I couldn't very well wear them to the station. So I was wearing muggle clothing instead, ripped jeans and a vest top.

I was in the middle of trying to guess what destructive new pranks James and Sirius had come up with this summer, and trying to figure out if Remus was 'incapacitated' at the moment, when the car stopped and Dad leaned over to me.

"Earth to Tiger, we're here"

Those were all the words I needed to get going, and I jumped out of the car, grabbed my trunk, and said happy good-byes to Mom and Dad, sending my best wishes to the no-doubt scowling Petunia at home, all the time setting new land-speed records.

As I made a dive for the barrier to get to Platform 9¾, I saw a familiar set of heads just in front of me, and my grin became wider. So Remus _isn't_ 'incapacitated' this time!

I landed smoothly on the platform, despite my thoughts being elsewhere, and waited for them to come through.

Firstly came a little blond boy, Peter. I waved him over to me, and motioned for silence.

Then came a tall, long black haired boy, with a bellowing laugh and cheeky grin, Sirius. I didn't wave him over, as I knew the other two would find him too easily, and as Peter and I made small talk, and laughed at Sirius' poor attempts at finding him, Remus landed nearby, looking rather more flustered than the other two.

He picked himself up, smoothed out him ruffled brown hair, and joined Sirius, his eyes scanning the platform for Peter, and probably me now.

As his eyes went across to where we were standing, I ducked, and my heart went out to him. He looked even more tired than he had the other years, his bluey-grey eyes gazing tiredly around, his skin pale and ashen, it must have been the full moon just before he came.

As I was pre-occupied with Remus, I didn't spot the last member of our party come through the barrier, but I saw him well enough when he joined Sirius and Remus.

If it was at all possible, his messy black hair had become even messier, and his glasses were on askew, covering what I knew to be brown eyes.

I whispered to Peter to go over to them now, finishing our conversation, and he dragged his trunk over to where the 3 boys were standing.

I saw them all move towards the train, all scanning the platform, probably for my red hair. I always share a compartment with them, ever since first year, and we're all good friends, even Peter and I, although some think different.

I waited until James had turned his back to me, then levitating my trunk behind me I raced for him, diving onto his back and knocking us both to the floor in a tangle of limbs.

He was underneath me by the end of our little wrestling match, and I was in fit of giggles. Oh, why did I have to be ticklish, and why did James have to know!

As my giggles subsided, I placed his glasses straighter on his face, and brushed some dust off his forehead.

He was staring at me in a strange way, almost longingly, with a hint of disbelief, but I didn't care, as I knew I was staring at him in the same way.

I let my hand rest in his hair, fiddling with a little piece with my fingers, and his hand moved up to tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear, and little jolts of electricity buzzed under my skin wherever his hand touched.

Our faces were inching closer together, lips almost touching, when a shrill whistle jolted me from my stupor, and I leapt to my feet.

"Well, Potter, nice to see you again" I stuttered, although it was meant to come out cool, calm and collected, as if I'd never been close to kissing him, but instead every word became a stutter, and I blushed viciously.

"Nice to see you too, Li- Evans." He said, straightening his clothing, and running a hand through his disheveled hair.

We slipped into silence, not having anything more to say to each other, and both of us feeling rather awkward, until I turned to lift my trunk onto the train, and found Peter grinning at me, holding my trunk on-board the train.

As usual he was being friendly in the nice way he had, carrying our stuff, if we let him, and during my tickle fight he must've grabbed my trunk and hoisted it on-board.

As I bent down to brush some dirt from the knees of my jeans I felt familiar arms slip around my waist, and a voice whisper into my ear

"Nice ass, Lils. Can we start this year over again though? Please?"

I felt a shiver race down my spine, and as I turned around to see James' brown eyes pleading with me, and I couldn't help noticing the little golden flecks in them.

"Okay Jamsie, lets start over" I giggled, a niggling little thought in the back of my head telling me that I should try and get out of his arms, but I felt so… safe, I guess, that I never wanted to leave.

I kissed him quickly on the nose and then turned round and tried to walk off, throwing a casual "How was your summer, James?" over my shoulder, but not quite making the impact I wanted, as he seemed determined not to let go.

"James" I giggled again, wriggling in his arms, hoping he would let go, but to no avail.

Suddenly he swung me up into his arms, and I flung my arms around his neck, shrieking indignantly, as he boarded the express, and walked to the carriage where Remus, Sirius and Peter were already sat.

As James finally sat me down, in his lap, no less, I spotted a small, tired looking girl in the corner of our carriage. I scooted out of James' lap, promising to return, and moved to sit by the girl.

"Hi, I'm Lily Evans, Gryffindor" I said cheerily, holding my hand out to shake.

"Catalina Illusio, Gryffindor also." She said, a small smile playing on her face momentarily.

"What year are you in? I'm Fifth" I said, casting my eye over the girl, and noting her petite frame thought she couldn't be any more than Second year.

"I'm in Fourth, but I'm meant to be in Fifth. Few problems at my old school, Berne Academy, Switzerland" She replied, her smile sticking this time, but a very small smile at that.

"So, you're French Swiss? Or from the German part?" I inquired, as the girl didn't seem to be of either ethnicity.

"Oh, neither, I'm fully British, but my parents moved to Switzerland a few years ago." She assured, sliding one of her textbooks into the bag.

"Do you want to come and sit with us? The boys don't bite. Much, anyways" I offered, with a slight giggle at my last comment.

However poor a joke I had just made, she seemed to find it funny, and giggled along, before accepting my invitation with a cheerful 'Sure'

As I wandered back over to the boys, sitting back down in James' lap and stealing his glasses, rendering him semi-blind for a while, Catalina slid into the spare seat between Remus and Sirius, her shyness somewhat forgotten as she giggled along with me at the semi-blind James' attempts at getting his glasses back from me.

I introduced her to the others, and then went back to my teasing of James, noting happily that she seemed to be chatting away happily with Remus, I wasn't sure what about though.

The train ride flew by in a blur, consisting of Sirius vanishing and then returning, proudly admitting to planting dungbombs in Snape's carriage, Peter discussing Quidditch with his friend from Hufflepuff, Andy, and then leaving with him, promising to sit with us at the feast, Catalina and Remus continuing their hushed conversation, and me teasing James mercilessly, then taking finally taking pity on him and handing back his glasses, but not before putting a small charm on them to make him see everything in the wrong colours for the rest of the day.

We all changed into our robes as we neared the end of the train journey, then proceeded to chatter on about various little things, and finally arrived at the platform.

As we all climbed off the express, several people pointed our way, and despite being used to attention, it was rather unnerving.

We walked towards the coaches, which would take us to Hogwarts, Remus and Catalina still continuing their conversation, and me and James almost talking, with Sirius popping up occasionally, and jumping on James' back a lot.

Finally, we got to the coach, and James, Sirius and Remus jumped aboard, Remus then helping Catalina on and settling her in the seat next to him, with Sirius and James acting like prats, being overly attentive and old fashioned in getting me inside the carriage and seated carefully on James' lap.

The ride there was usual, with some good natured bickering between me and James, and Sirius almost falling out a few times, and then we were there.

Hogwarts loomed impressively over the horizon, it's weathered turrets standing out against the afternoon sky, and the mists rising to reveal the massive oak entrance doors being opened, by magic, of course, and some students walking through them, trunks levitating behind them.

We all tumbled out of the carriage, and strolled towards the Great Hall, taking seats towards the far end of the Gryffindor table, me next to James, with Sirius on his other side, Remus, Catalina and Peter, who had arrived back and been filled in on all that he had missed, opposite us.

Dumbledore began his usual little speech, and the sorting flew by in a flash, Gryffindor welcoming 3 new girls, (Fox, Sydnie, a shy muggle-born, then McKinley, Diamond, and McKinley, Sapphire, a lively pair of half-blood twins, who bounced incorrigibly through-out the whole meal, but you couldn't help liking) and 3 new boys, (Hartill, Jake, a cocky young pure-blood, who reminded me a lot of Sirius, Russell, Bryan, a half-blood young boy, who seemed to be very studious, and serious, and finally Tyler, Karl, another loud boy, but muggle-born.)

McGonagall finally finished with Zambra, Luke, who quickly became 'RAVENCLAW' then went to sit down, but was reminded of something by Dumbledore.

"Ah, yes. This year we have one more student, a transfer student from Switzerland, in her Fourth Year, who has already been sorted to Gryffindor. Welcome, Catalina Illusio." She announced, as Sirius prodded Catalina to her feet, where she bowed and smiled shyly at the hall, before sitting down quickly and blushing.

After that the feast appeared, and, as per usual, not much talking was done as the boys stuffed their faces and Catalina and me ate casually.

We headed up to the common room after finishing, all talking animatedly, despite Sirius' moans of still being hungry, gave the password to the Fat Lady ('Cherry Drops') and entered, sitting around and talking, Catalina leaving us occasionally to talk to the people from her own year, but always returning to sit down next to Remus, which Sirius teased him relentlessly about.

Eventually we were all heading to bed, and as I walked from the Fourth year's room (where I had just said bye to Catalina) I wondered what this year would be like, then walked into my own room, chatting to the other girls while I got ready for bed, and climbed in, only to be met with an invisible hand over my mouth and another one around my waist.

"James" I whispered, before biting on the fingers over my mouth and sighing.

"What now?" I whispered, trying not to sound too annoyed, but really, I was very tired, now was not the best time for him to sneak into my room.

"Oh, nothing really, just felt like being near you, Lily-Flower" he replied, in a hushed whisper, moving his bitten hand to join his other around my waist.

"Good then, be near me while I sleep" was my reply, before lying down in his arms, using his chest as a pillow.

"Actually, I wanted to congratulate you on behalf of Remus, he's very glad you found Catalina today, he enjoys having another werewolf to talk to." He replied, ever the smart-arse.

"Good, so I was right when I thought she looked as tired as Remus today, it was full moon just before they came. Night Jamsie." I muttered, my eyes already beginning to close.

"Don't I get a good-night kiss, Lily, my sweet?" he pleaded, but I was too far gone to do anything but mutter 'In the morning' and let the darkness take me down into a deep, dreamless sleep. 

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First Chapter over! Please review!


	2. " What's your vision? You'll see, what d...

**Just Friends, Right? -- 2**

Author: Cattie

Rating: PG

Genre: Romance, possibly comedy later

A/N: second chapter! 

And biiiig thanks you's to all who reviewed the first chapter, and a hug to any who gave me a title suggestion!

The list of reviewers so far stands at: ~*Daisy*~, Penny, Kitten kisses, StarChildHlermione86, Lily's Friend*Jess, Ariana, Potter Girl, lily girl, The Potter, amy~*, foxfire06, naavi0, Lady Moon, Tanvi, Houlie, and eb. Thank you all!

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The next morning I awoke to find myself alone in my bed.

"Good" I groaned, "Imagine what McGonagall would say…"

"To what?!" came a loud voice through my curtains.

"You didn't have James Potter in there **again**, did you Lil?"

"Whooo, Lily and James, sittin' in a tree!!"

"Yeow, Lillith, don't you remember what she said when she caught you last year?!"

My room-mates squawked, severely annoying me, and sadly, hitting the mark with almost every comment.

"Shove off" I muttered, heading to the bathroom, eyes downcast, not wanting to meet any of their eyes, as I knew I'd be found out.

When I exited the bathroom later, after a refreshing, James Potter free, shower, I noticed all of my room-mates were gone, presumably to breakfast, and I was safe to walk around in my towel before getting dressed.

Now, I know walking round a dormitory in a towel seems to be a strange thing to do, but I really hate getting changed in the bathroom, the steam makes you all wet and you can't get dressed properly.

So, because I'm engrossed in getting my robes and hair ready for today, I forget to do my usual 'Invisibility Cloak' check before changing.

Of course, as soon as I've finished getting ready I turn round, and promptly walk into _someone_ under an invisibility cloak.

"You prat! Get out from under there, Potter!" I screamed, pulling the invisibility cloak off his head and proceeding to try and choke him.

"Lil – I – only – just – came – in – sorry" he managed to choke out, cause my hands were around his throat, throttling him for all it's worth.

"I believe you. How stupid must I be" I said sheepishly, removing my hands from around his throat and settling for messing with his hair instead.

"God, Lil, you sure know how to choke a guy. But I think I like you better like this" was his reply, which was followed quickly by him grabbing my hand and dragging me down to breakfast.

We soon all got back into the 'swing' of things, with breakfast, classes, lunch, classes, homework time, supper, rest time, with the occasional quidditch games, practices and pranks.

James, Sirius and Kitz, one of my room-mates, all tried out for the Gryffindor Team, and all of them made it. James was a chaser, as always, Sirius was an extremely enthusiastic beater, and Kitz was our seeker, owing to the fact that she's small, light and **very** fast on her broom.

Term went as per usual, and it was almost Christmas before anything out of the ordinary happened. Oh yes, and I don't consider our pranks anything out of the ordinary, after all, when aren't the boys pulling pranks?

It was two days before we were scheduled to leave the castle, all of us except Kitz and Bella were going home, even Catalina was going back to Switzerland for the holidays.

We'd been spending a lot of time with Catalina, for as Dumbledore had known, and McGonagall had seen, she was very intelligent, and took several of her classes with us fifth years, provoking a lot of snobbery from certain members of her year, so she often ate and hung around with us.

As I was saying, it was two days before we were meant to leave for Christmas, and I was in my dorm packing, when I heard a gigantic crash from downstairs, and a familiar, female, voice screaming in horror.

I drew my wand and raced downstairs, expecting to see some evil creature, from the sincere panic and fear in the voice, but when I got down there all I found was Sirius quickly moving people out of the common room, James holding a letter, and Remus holding a colourless, unconscious Catalina.

"Wha-What happened?" I asked, in a shaky whisper.

James walked over to me and handed me the letter.

"Catalina's parents, her whole family. Gone." He said to me, as I took the letter and scanned the contents.

My heart lurched as I read the name of the killer, _Voldemort_.

"Why did she scream?" I asked, because however bad this letter was, I couldn't really see how she could have screamed at it. Cried, yes, muttered 'no's and things like that, yes, I could see that too, but screaming?

"She saw –something…" Remus said, from his position on the floor.

I walked over and crouched next to him, James behind me every step of the way.

"I thought she wasn't a Seer" was my reply

"She isn't" he assured me, "Someone was messing with her mind, and she saw how her parents died."

"How awful…" was all I could mutter, as James pulled me onto his lap, and I clung to him desperately.

"She'll have to stay here over Christmas" Peter said, from the doorway he had just entered. "Dumbledore said she'll be safest here."

"Then I'm staying too" I said, suddenly, "My parents will understand"

"And I am" James said, tightening his hold around my waist.

"Me three" said Sirius, always the joker, but his voice was deadly serious this time.

"I can't stay" Peter muttered, ashamed, "I'm not allowed to, I have to look after my brothers and sisters"

"Peter, don't worry" I murmured "We all know you're the oldest, and since your parents left, well, we understand completely"

I drew my eyes back to Remus, who hadn't spoken since he explained why she had screamed, and I felt my heart tug.

He was sitting there, with her head in his lap, fidgeting with a piece of her bobbed copper hair, the expression on his face unreadable, and her, looking so lifeless, so dead. It hurt.

I buried my face in James' robes, tears starting to well in my eyes, and then Madame Pomfrey burst in.

"Oh, my dears! Peter told me the girl had fainted, oh dear!" were her words, as she conjured a stretcher, and lay Catalina carefully on it.

As Madame took her out, I looked up, then buried my face once more in James' robes.

Sirius was standing behind Remus, his hand on Remus' shoulder, his face angry and sad at the same time, while Remus himself was still unreadable, although his bluey-grey eyes seemed misted over.

We all went to see Catalina in the medical wing later that day, when she'd woken up, and after Madame had allowed us, we brought her back to the common room.

We'd expected her to start crying, shouting, anything really, but she was as she weren't alive, she showed no emotion all night, or the next day, or the next.

Eventually it was the last lunch before most students left on the train, and we were eating in relative silence.

Sirius was telling one of his jokes to Peter, James and me, but with every glance at the depressed Remus, or the still un-emotional Catalina, his tone would become more sombre, and the joke seem less funny.

As he finished the joke, and we all managed a few little laughs, Snape walked over to our table.

That itself wouldn't have been an unusual act, he usually came to bother us after we'd played a trick on him, but this time we hadn't done anything to him in days.

"Oh, look who's here, it's Potters little fanclub" he sneered, gesturing at us with one disgusting hand. "Oh, and it's the little brat" he muttered, glaring at Catalina, who had now gone as white as Sir Nicholas, and almost seemed to be shaking.

Remus quickly put his arm around her, while Sirius and James moved to be able to stand up quickly, and Peter and I withdrew our wands.

"Don't worry, brat, they don't really like you, they just feel sorry for you" Snape muttered at Catalina, and the rest of the table fell silent, expecting Catalina, who had always had a rather low Snape-tolerance meter, to lash out. But she just sat there.

He bent down to her height, where he could see the tears starting to collect in her eyes, and sneered. "What's the matter, upset cause you can't see your parents this Christmas?"

That seemed to be the last straw for her, she jumped up and flung her fist at Snape's face, Remus dived after her, and Sirius pushed Snape over into the nearby Ravenclaw table, which suddenly went silent, Malfoy raced over to us, and I watched in horror as he grabbed Catalina just before Remus got to her.

"Let go of her." Sirius' voice was deadly serious, with an underlying anger I had only seen him use a few times, like when Snape had tried to push me into this potion we were making, or Malfoy had threatened to use the Unforgivable curses on James and Peter, and when Snape had threatened to tell Remus' secret.

Malfoy didn't bother arguing, just flung Catalina to the ground, after whispering a few words in her ear, and stalked off, Snape and a few other Slytherin goons following.

She lay there, on the floor, the only sign she was alive being her shaking shoulders and the occasional sob that would escape from her throat, until Remus moved to comfort her. 

He cradled her in his arms he walked out, towards the lake, while Sirius and Peter went to explain to McGonagall and Dumbledore, who had in fact seen the whole thing, and I turned to James, and just looked at him, until he opened his arms and I leant on him, unable to stop myself from crying again, and he just held me.


	3. " All I want for Christmas is you ... " ...

**Just Friends, Right? -- 3**

Author: Cattie

Rating: PG

Genre: Romance, possibly comedy later

A/N: Finally, the third chapter! Sorries for the infrequency of updates to this story, but i'm currently lumbered with this giant piece of English coursework, which involves writing the whole of 'The Crucible', a play by Arthur Miller, from the point of view of Reverend Hale, who happens to be one of those annoying large character who just **has** to be in pretty much every scene. Annoying little Rat. Oh well, not much I can do. Oh, and I'm still sorely uninspired about the title. However, due to a re-reading of this really cool Sailor Moon fic I once read (i've forgotten the name and author, TELL ME WHO!!) i'e decided to probably leave it as this, and explain it via James and Lily later, with all due credit of that conversation going to the original SM writer... once i remember who exactly it is... -.-;;

To **Little Witch**: Good Question. No, they aren't going out yet, i've just got them in a **really** close friendship, where they fool around alot, and like each other alot, even if they wont admit it!

Updated list of reviewers! [for all chapters so far]: ~*Daisy*~, Penny, Kitten kisses, StarChildHlermione86, Lily's Friend*Jess, Ariana, Potter Girl, lily girl, The Potter, amy~*, foxfire06, naavi0, Lady Moon, Tanvi, Houlie, eb, Miss Padfoot, paperback writer **[**thank you for your help!**]**, mystikalolo, lily girl **[**again! thanks!**]**, slightlyinsaneflamergirl **[**the fluff is coming soon! promise!**]**, Little Witch, All Mighty Me, StarChildHlermione86 **[**again! whoo-hoo! thanks!**]**, and GoldenPhoenix **[**who actually reviewed both chapters at once!**]**.

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That winter break was hard on all of us, Catalina shutting herself up and refusing to see anyone, Remus moping, then throwing himself into crazy pranks with Sirius, that he usually would have refused, but currently didn't seem to care, James assisting them often, and almost daily letters from Peter to all of us. I spent a lot of my time locked up in the Fifth years' room, with Catalina, but after about a week of silence I realised I wouldn't get any conversation out of her, and ventured downstairs more.

I didn't see James as much as I usually did that holiday, as usually I spent almost every waking, and sleeping, moment with them, but I never seemed to be able to find them that holiday. Even Bella and Mundungus seemed caught up in some mystery project, or claiming their homework was much harder than ours, and so deserved more time. (So what if they're in their Sixth year?)

It felt strange to be away from them for so long, I was used to Sirius' constant smart-arse remarks and pranks, Remus' cheerful sensibility, Peter's selflessness, Bella's sensibility, Mundungus' brotherly over-protectiveness, and James'… well, just James. There wasn't anything I didn't miss about him, from his silly little smirk, to the way he'd hug me so often, to his messy black hair, and cute brown eyes, framed by his silly glasses.

I missed him so much.

After the second week, when I'd finally realised that the boys had either vanished, or didn't want me to find them, I went back to spending my days with Catalina.

After a few days of her painful silence, interrupted only by her quill scratching away on parchment, I confronted her about what she was doing.

"Catalina, what exactly are you doing there?" I said, carefully, only slightly scared about breaking the silence and her determined concentration.

"I-I'm studying" she hesitantly replied, stuttering slightly, her voice weak and scared, just like the voice she had first used on the Express, which she had subsequently lost once she'd gotten settled.

"Why are you studying? Didn't you do all your homework already?" I asked, moving over to the desk where she had been sitting all day.

"Oh, yeah, I finished all that stuff, but I want to study more, my fourth year classes are so boring, I want to move up. It's what my parents want—ed…" she finished painfully, the last 'ed' clearly a great pain for her to say.

"Hey, that's cool, shall I help you? I'm not good at much, just charms, but I'm sure the guys will help you too, just as soon as we find them, that is" I offered, half-hugging the almost crying girl, hoping to stem the tears.

"That'd be great, Lily, you're the best" she replied, wiping her eyes and tiding away some of her parchments.

"Hey, just call me 'The Astounding Lil'" I joked, with an exaggerated bow.

We'd left the room then, choosing to study in the library and common room instead, and eventually, a few days later, we ran into the guys.

Literally.

We were walking down the corridor, talking about Catalina's 16th birthday, in May, and what I'd done when I turned 15, when I walked straight into an invisible object, knocking me onto the floor, looking very undignified.

I then heard a round of chuckles from the invisible object, and kicked at the place where I assumed the legs would be.

I small yell then came from the invisible object, and a pair of legs appeared, being rubbed by a hand, and a familiar voice complaining.

"Christ, Lils, you didn't have to kick so hard!"

I knew that voice well, and flung myself at the person, knocking them and myself straight through the invisibility cloak, out the other side and into a heap on the floor.

"JAMESIE!"

"Oh, hey Lil" she muttered, inches from my face and …blushing?!

That threw me. In all the time I'd known James, I don't think I'd ever seen him blush, not even when, in the year before, we'd been playing that 'sick game of chicken' as Bella had put it, and Snape had told every single one of the teachers and other students that we were going out, which, of course, we weren't. After all, James and me would never feel that way about each other. Right?

So there we were, lying in a heap on the floor, me onto of James, him blushing, and Sirius, Remus and Catalina all watching in bemused amusement.

I batted my eyelashes and said in my best seductive voice "Oh, James, sweetie, I've missed you so much"

Usually this provoked a witty response along the same lines, we'd been playing this game for years, in which we flirted like crazy, but both of us knew it was just a little joke between close friends.

So I was a little shocked when James said nothing in reply, just muttered something and blushed even more.

I then heard a round of laughter behind me, with Sirius' boisterous guffaw drowning out Remus' good-natured chuckle and Catalina's silvery little giggle.

I finally got off James and we stood up, causing Sirius to laugh even more, for some reason, and I hugged him again, not knocking him over this time.

"Hey, I've missed you, ya great wimp" I muttered into his chest, meaning every word. Well, maybe not the 'great wimp' part.

"I've missed you too, Lil" he murmured into my hair, holding me closer. I could have gone on hugging him like that for hours, but a large crash from behind me signified that something had happened.

"What's going on here? Students out of their common rooms, eh pretty? Students snooping around?! Oh, show me to the little ruffians, Mrs Norris!"

Filch's voice echoed down the corridor, and there was a mad scramble for the invisibility cloak, with James and me becoming tangled up in each others robes and just managing to dive under there in time, Sirius making an 'eeep' noise that vaguely reminded me of a mouse, Catalina dropping all her papers and diving to the floor, and Remus stopping mid-scramble to bend down and grab some of the papers near him.

When Filch entered the hallway, Sirius, James and I were all under the invisibility cloak, Sirius starting to turn a strange shade of purple from trying not to laugh, and James with his arms still around my waist, holding me closely to his chest. Catalina and Remus were the poor souls left out in the corridor, hurriedly grabbing the mountains of papers that Catalina had been carrying.

Seeing the two student hurriedly grabbing at papers, he coughed, questioned the two for a few minutes, then stalked off, no doubt to terrorise some poor first year Hufflepuff who got lost and accidentally banged into some suit of armor, or Peeves.

We waited a few more seconds before piling out from under the cloak, Sirius finally bursting out into long awaited laughter, and knocking over one of the suits of armor, which clattered to the floor and fell apart, all the pieces flying off in various directions, one barely missing my foot, and another one bouncing straight off Catalina's head.

"Ouch.." she muttered, grabbing at her head and directing a death glare in the vague direction of Sirius, before grabbing the last of her papers and starting to dash out of the hallway.

We all stared at her retreating form, until she turned around and said to us, with a long missing smirk; "Well, since you all seem to desperate to have Filch catch us for a second time today, I'll just leave you all there."

We wasted no time in running back to the Gryffindor Common Room, finally collapsing into various seats, gasping, due to lack of breath from simultaneously running and laughing.

Sirius stretched his legs on the couch, leaving no room, Remus flopped down in a chair near to the fire, Catalina leaning against his legs and fetching out her DADA work and talking with him about it, and me and James falling into the nearest chair, me ending up on his lap, which is a position I wasn't to upset about landing in.

Bella and Mundungus joined us later, for the first time in what seemed to have been forever. Bella was still surrounded by work, her glasses perched on the end of her nose, and midnight blue hair pulled up in a messy knot, until Sirius stole her glasses, and Mundungus pulled his long brown hair up in her bobble.

We all sat there for the rest of the evening, Sirius eventually falling asleep and disturbing us all with his obnoxious snoring, which Remus and James both claimed he always did, but I wasn't so sure, as normally he didn't seem to 'wake up half of China with his snores'.

After the following small debate on exactly how loud Sirius' snores were ('Loud enough to wake the poor people on Mars' was the conclusion we eventually came to, thanks to Mundungus), we lapsed back into almost silence, Remus and Catalina conversing in almost whispers, about various subjects form DADA, to Quidditch, to when the next full moon was, Bella and Mundungus alternately bemoaning the amount of work they had, and debating whether Mundungus should plait his hair and put daises in it tomorrow, and me and James just sitting there in companionable silence, me enjoying the feel of having his arms around me.

When it got to around midnight, the clock chimed and we all woke up from our daydreams, muttering various things about going to bed, that all eventually came to nothing as we all dozed off in various positions, Sirius was knocked onto the floor by Catalina and Remus, who sat on the couch and eventually fell asleep with her head on his shoulder, while Sirius slumbered on unawares on the carpet. Bella drifted off to sleep, slumped on her still wet transfiguration essay, and Mundungus deep in the land of nod, the ends of his hair stuck in the nearest ink pot, courtesy of Remus' mischievous streak. James and I dozed off with me still in his lap, his arms tight around my waist, and his face buried in my hair.


	4. " It's Impossible, This Kiss, This Kiss ...

**Just Friends, Right? -- 4**

Author: Cattie

Rating: PG

Genre: Romance, possibly comedy later

A/N: Fourth Chapter! Sorry for the wait! I finally decided on a title, and i know it's corny, and shockingly over-used. but i like it. so tough.

**_REVIEW LIST!:_** _[so far]: _~*Daisy*~, Penny, Kitten kisses, StarChildHlermione86, Lily's Friend*Jess, Ariana, Potter Girl, lily girl, The Potter, amy~*, foxfire06, naavi0, Lady Moon, Tanvi, Houlie, eb, Miss Padfoot, paperback writer, mystikalolo, lily girl, slightlyinsaneflamergirl, Little Witch, All Mighty Me, StarChildHlermione86 , GoldenPhoenix, 

fdsdfas, seller_of_dreams, ~*Daisy*~ **[again again! thank you soooo much!]**, The Potter **[another again! thank you!]**, mamasita, thumper **[thank you for the suggestion! as you can see, i pretty much used that title! thank you! and i do the same, i'm always in trouble for not doing my work]**, ~*Charmsangel*~, gurl **[people like Catalina! Yay!]**, someone **[i know it seems strange, but i do it, and if she's really comfortable with him, and really loves him, but is denying it, i guess she might do it. i dunno. ::shrugs::]**, Amy, StarChildHlermione86 **[oooh, another serial reviewer! thank you!]**, jeni peni, alexis **[YES! another Catalina-liker! thanks!]**, and finally, Ecila. **_Thank you all!_**

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I woke up the next morning, and tried to stretch the kinks out of my neck, but found that I couldn't move due to a pair of fairly strong arms in a vice-like grip around my waist.

I blinked wearily, and then turned to see who my 'captor' was.

James Potter.

I settled back down in his arms, yawning sleepily.

_'At least he isn't Snape. Infact, he's quite good-looking, and sweet. Not that bad of a person to fall asleep on, in all' _I thought, as my eyes drifted shut and I fell back into the peaceful world of dreams.

A few hours later I was woken again by a barking laugh and a boisterous voice shouting;

"Aww, how cute! Mr and Mrs Potter, fast asleep in a chair! Roll up! Roll Up! Come see the cutest couple in Hogwarts asleep in a chair! Only 5 knuts! Roll U- OOF!"

"Shut up! They'll wake up! And what's taking Remus, he should be here with that camera already!"

"Sheesh, for such a little girl you sure hit hard!"

"I am not little! You great oaf, I'll get you for that!"

**CRASH!**

I rubbed my eyes to rid them of the sleep, then turned towards the noise and tried to stifle my laughter at the sight.

Catalina had Sirius, who was at least a foot or two taller than her, on the floor, and was attempting to strangle him, while he grasped for her robes, to pull her away from his neck, and Remus just stood in the doorway, a camera in his hands, staring open-mouthed at the scene.

A small giggle escaped from my lips, and they all turned to look at me, just as James awoke.

**FLASH!**

I shrieked slightly as Remus took a picture of me and James, then giggled once more as Catalina simply continued throttling Sirius, who was making wild hand motions at all of us, which probably meant; 'Save me, crazy little girl throttling me!', but we weren't able to decipher, or so we told him.

Eventually Sirius managed to grab a chunk of Catalina's robes, and pulled her off him, shrieking indignantly at us once he regained his breath.

"James! Lily! You two are amazingly useless, you know! I was simply begging for you, either of you, to come and save me, but Nooooo, can't come and save old Sirius, James and Lily are too busy getting comfortable in chair to help their dearest friend!"

"Dearest friend?" I whispered to James, trying to look innocent.

"He's only slightly insane, my guess is that he forgot his medication this morning" he whispered back, as Sirius turned his attentions to Remus, who was still standing in the doorway with a look of shock on his face.

"And you, Moony! Couldn't even help me, when it's your little girlfriend trying to kill me! And Bella and Mundungus are off doing something stupid that only Sixth years are privy to! Some friends you all are. I'm going to ignore you all now. Snape's my new best friend!" he finished, then paused for a second, obviously thinking about what he had just said for the first time.

Then he burst into raucous laughter.

"Oh dear, what an interesting statement that was" Remus assessed from the door, rubbing his cheeks and trying, hopelessly, to hide the blush that had risen on his face when Sirius had screamed the word 'girlfriend'.

"Too true, Moony, too true" Sirius gasped between guffaws.

"Well, maybe some of us should get to classes now. I don't know if you have the lesson off, but I've got 4th year Potions with the Slytherins, I'd better just go and get it over with." Catalina sighed, before grabbing a small mountain of papers and sweeping them into her bag.

"Aww, what's wrong with that, Cat? I thought that class wasn't that bad. After all, the other Gryffindors are usually too busy bothering the Slytherins to bother you" Remus said to her, dropping the camera in his pocket and walking over to where she was still hastily stuffing things into her already over-flowing bag.

"Oh, the Gryffindors aren't that bad anymore, it's those stinky Slytherins. They're determined to make my life a misery, and I'm sure some of them know my secret!" she cried out, close to tears, as Remus moved to hug her, and I asked from James' lap; "Who knows?"

"Jennifer Buckingham and her horrible little fan club! They were all teasing me about this potion we were making, and I just **couldn't** touch the silver that we had to put in, and she kept making comments about how 'sissy little werewolves can't touch silver', and then told me that I should just 'go back to my freak country'" she sobbed, and I stood up.

"That's horrible! I'm going straight to Dumbledore and telling him!" I shouted indignantly, and stood from James' lap, before yanking him to his feet and dragging him along the corridors with me.

I faintly heard someone exclaiming that it wasn't that big of a deal, but I kept going, my earlier grudge against Jennifer Buckingham growing constantly.

I'd got as far as Dumbledore's door, when I realised that I didn't know the password.

"Jelly Babies" James muttered, as if reading my mind.

"I never asked, but thanks anyway" I answered, before muttering the words and entering the room.

"But you- Never mind, Dumbledore's not here" he said, confusion marring his tone.

Just as he finished the sentence, Dumbledore walked into the office, clutching a small white paper bag, presumably full of some muggle sweet, seeing as he seemed to be obsessed with them.

I quickly explained Catalina's problem to him, and he considered it for a few seconds, then muttered under his breath.

"Yes, that's the only thing for it. She can manage, especially with her friends. Yes, that's the only solution"

He then smiled at us, and waved his dismissal, before offering a sweet, which seemed to be Murray Mints, which we declined and left the room.

As we were strolling back towards the common room, I suddenly round myself pulled, by James, into a side room, and he pressed his lips against mine.

Before I could respond, as I so wanted to, he pulled away, and ran off, muttering sorry, leaving me standing, dazed, in the middle of some room, my fingers touching my tingling lips.

"Wow…"

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REVIEW! PLEASE!


	5. " Dreams I dreamed, will at last come tr...

**Just Friends, Right? -- 5**

**Author:** Cattie

**Rating:** PG

**Genre:** Books Harry Potter - - - - Romance

**A/N:** Fifth Chapter! I've got a new beta reader now, everyone, claps and kisses to Queen of the World! 

And ::sniff:: thank you all, so much ::sob:: I have 75 reviews on this story, and I know it isn't alot, especially compared to some of the big fics with hundreds, but it's the most I've ever gotten! I'm so proud! 

Now, if you could all just push the hundred barrier, you might make me so happy that i just have to beg my friend to let me use her scanner, so I can upload some of mine and possibly one of my friends HP art, some of which is done especially for this story. So, c'mon, don't you want to see my drawings? (don't answer that one!)

**_REVIEW LIST!:_** _Sorry, I just can't continue with this, it's just too much! besides, you'd all rather have me work extra hard on the story, than put a list of names up here, right? Oh well, thank you to all my reviewers, especially all my 'serial' and 'rabid' reviewers, such as StarChildHlermione. Everyone, follow her wonderful example and **REVIEW! PLEASE!**_

Disclaimer (Ooohhh!): Everything you recognize belongs to JK, Catalina and Kitz belong to me, Mary belongs to my wonderful new beta reader, Queen of the World!

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"OOOOOOOOOOH!"

A chorus of 'oooh's' came from the other occupants of my dorm.

"He kissed you? Wow!" That was Mary, from her seated position on her bed. She was a nice girl, all in all, very outgoing, with a habit of being slightly noisy.

Catalina was just gaping at me, from her seat on the end of my bed, her mouth hanging open, and her eyes glazed over.

Kitz seemed to be the only one taking the news calmly, simply continuing to get ready, flicking her wand at her long black hair, and fussing in her drawers.

"Kitz?" I asked, after realising that Mary was in a dream state, and Catalina was in shock, so I would be getting no answer from them for a while.

"Hmmm?" was her dreamy answer, and then I noticed that she was wearing make-up. Something she **never** did, because it always ran when she was practicing for Quidditch.

"Kitz, where are you going?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, no-where important, just off to the Three Broomsticks" she muttered, then clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Oops"

"Oops is right. Who're you going with, cause James, Sirius, Remus and Peter are the only one's who can get there at this time." I countered, bouncing off my bed, fairly pleased to have the attention taken away from me.

She turned bright red at the list of names, and then muttered quietly, turning back to the mirror; "Sirius"

Before I could get a word in, though, she dashed for the door.

"Well, I'm going to be late if I don't hurry up. See you all later!" and then she was gone.

I stared blankly at the door, still confused, until Mary sat up with a start.

"Have I missed something? Oh well, aaaah! I'm late! Oh no, I was meant to meet Chris at half past! Oh no! See ya Lil, 'Lina!" and she was gone too, raking a hand quickly through her short blonde hair as she left.

"Looks like it's just you and me, 'Lina." I said, then realised she was still in her shocked state.

"Snap out of it!" I yelled, shaking her shoulders, "Even I wasn't that shocked!"

She blinked, and then glanced at her watch. I knew what was coming.

"Oh no, I-" she started, then I cut her off.

"Am late for my date with Remus, I know, I know." I said bitterly, and she just looked at me.

"Actually, Lil, it's just a study session. I need to catch up in DADA if I want to skip a year before the end of this year. Are you sure you're okay though? I could get James to come up, if yo-"

"NO!" I screamed, and dived for my pillows.

"Oh well, I need to talk to him anyway. My transfiguration could be better, but it isn't as bad as my DADA, I'm worse than Peter in that!" she moaned, and then slammed the door behind her.

A just sat there; my face buried in my pillow, and for some inexplicable reason, started to cry.

I had been sobbing silently into my pillows for a few minutes, when the door to the dormitory creaked open, and I heard a familiar voice.

"Lils? 'Lina said you weren't feeling too goo- Oh god, Lil! What's wrong?" and then his arms were around me, and I was crying into his shoulder.

"Lil, I'm sorry about earlier, I'm sorry, just please, tell me what's wrong!" his voice was rising in panic, and I could just imagine how his brown eyes would be wide behind his black glasses.

"Nothing" I sobbed into his shoulder, before trying to control my tears, and lifting my head, to look into his wide brown eyes with my teary green ones.

My heart gave a funny little jolt when I looked into his eyes, brown with amazing little flecks of gold.

And then it hit me. I was head over heels in love with James Potter.

And at this very moment, I didn't care who saw us.

But before I could kiss him, as I so wanted to, he blinked and turned his head away.

"Sorry, Lils. Are you okay now?" he asked.

But his hand was stroking the small of my back, and his lips and eyes so close to mine. There was no way I could answer.

I nodded slightly, and dropped my gaze, suddenly very interested in the imaginary bits of dust on my blanket.

James shifted slightly; moving so his back rested against my sideboard, then pulled me onto his lap.

I gave a little 'eep' of surprise, and then settled into his arms.

His hand moved again to the small of my back, and started tracing along my spine, eliciting a shiver from me. I kept my gaze on my hands, which I was twisting uncomfortably in my lap, then ventured a gaze upwards, at his face.

A small smile was on his face, looking serene and content, and an emotion I very rarely saw from him was shining in his eyes.

I slid my arms upwards, and around his neck, a he lifted his other hand from his side, and wiped my cheeks.

"Tears" was what he simply said, and I almost burst into fresh sobs.

Instead I settled for burying my face in his robes, and having him hold me tighter to himself, his face buried in my hair.

We sat there, in silence, for ages, until I ventured to raise my head, after his breathing had become slow and relaxed.

One look at his face, and I was sure he was asleep.

His eyes were shut, and a content little smile was playing on his lips.

I settled back into his arms, and eventually fell into a nightmarish sleep, where voices screamed at me, and images played over in my head.

_**'Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off – **'_ James. James was shouting, but why?

**_'Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!'_ **my voice, but… different…

**_'Stand aside, you silly girl … stand aside, now …'_ **an evil, rasping voice…

_**Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead-'** _my voice, again, so panicked…

_**'Not Harry! Please … have mercy … have mercy…'**_me again, oh god, what's happening? Who's Harry?

_**A green flash. **_

_**'I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!' **_ that was Hagrid, he seemed angry, and … sad?

**_'EXPECTO PATRONUM!'_ **that voice … it was like James', but not…

_**'But I wont deny that I'm a werewolf.' **_Remus. Who was he telling? It's a big secret…

**_'Believe me. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them.'_ **Sirius. But what was he going on about? No one said he'd betrayed us. Besides, he never would, right? …

**_'Harry … Harry … you look just like your father … just like him…'_ **Peter… why? …

**_'Prongs rode again last night.'_ **Dumbledore… but James was Prongs... he rode again?

_**Another green flash, a scream, my own.**_

I woke up, still in James' arms, in a cold sweat. I extracted myself from his grip, and walked to the mirror.

It was the middle of the night, at least. Mary was asleep in her bed, curtains drawn, and I could hear various mutterings issuing from it. But she was asleep, I'm sure.

The other beds had their curtains drawn tightly around them, except Kitz's and mine. James was still asleep on my bed, his features so calm, and sweet, they reminded me of a slumbering baby. Kitz's bed was empty, presumably she was sleeping either in the common room or boys room tonight.

My face was pale, as if I'd seen a ghost, my lips blood red, from biting them, which I continued to do out of sheer worry, and my eyes were flashing, panic riding deep in their depths.

I started away from the mirror, and looked out the window. The stars were glittering brightly in the velvet sky, and the waning moon shone out on the grounds, with a small sliver of moonlight slipping onto my face, when the clouds shifted from across it.

"What can I do?"

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